Cold Dawn

by Susan Sleeman

  Griff’s fingers curled into tight fists. “Then this someone would have to know about Oscar and about Andy being fired for embezzling.”

  Sam looked Griff in the eye. “Which means if it’s not Oscar, it’s either Tina or Flint, right?”

  “Unless Andy told Nobles for some reason,” Griff said. “But I have no idea why he would do that.”

  “Is it just me?” Eryn asked. “Or does it seem like someone is trying to frame Oscar for the murder?”

  “But who?” Griff asked.

  “Could Flint be turning on his buddy?” Eryn asked.

  “But why?” Sam gave it some thought. “If Flint wanted to cut Oscar out of the picture, maybe to take all the money, he’d have to kill Oscar or he could still snitch on Flint. Setting him up like this would just draw suspicion to their embezzling.”

  “It would.” Eryn frowned. “So maybe Oscar and Flint aren’t involved. Especially since you now have DNA connecting Andy to Nobles.”

  Sam sighed. “This is all getting really confusing.”

  “One thing that still makes perfect sense is that someone sent a text to Andy to lure him to Ziggy’s,” Eryn said.

  Griff clenched his jaw. “It would be nice if we could find out who that was.”

  “True that, but burner phones aren’t traceable,” Eryn said. “It’s also seeming to me since we know Nobles is involved and you grilled him, Sam, that he thinks you found something, and he’s the one trying to kill you.”

  “I’m in agreement with Eryn.” Sam firmed her shoulders. “We find Andy’s killer, we find the person after me. And as you said, Eryn, the DNA is pointing straight at Nobles.”

  Eryn nodded. “I just talked to Coop who’s babysitting Nobles today. He drove into work and has been there all day.”

  “If Coop’s there, I take it Kiera hasn’t had the baby.”

  “Nope. False alarm the other day. Braxton Hicks contractions.” Eryn sighed. “Coop was so disappointed, and he’s been a real bear.”

  Sam had been so self-absorbed this week that she hadn’t been praying for her friends. She took a moment to offer a prayer for them and the baby. “We’ll take over Nobles’ detail when we get back so he can go home to be with Kiera. Let us know if you find anything else in the investigation and thanks, Eryn.”

  Sam hung up, her mind filled with questions, but knowing one thing for sure. They needed to get back to Rugged Point as Nobles was their best lead right now.

  “To the airport?” Griff asked, almost as if he could read her mind.

  She nodded enthusiastically, and he shifted into gear.

  Her phone rang. She glanced at Caller ID. “It’s Jackson.”

  Griff applied the brakes, and she quickly answered on speaker phone.

  “Do you have a lead on Scanlon?” she asked.

  “We lucked out,” Jackson said. “He showed up at his attorney’s office. He’s in there right now.”

  “Hold him,” Griff snapped and the truck shot forward. “We’re on our way.”

  20

  Griff darted the groaning old truck in and out of traffic, moving as quickly as possible across the city to Gresham located on the far east side of the metro area.

  “Hey,” Sam said. “Slow down. Won’t do any good if we crash.”

  She sounded afraid, surprising Griff. He would check out her expression to confirm, but he couldn’t risk taking his eyes off the road. “I’m not taking a chance that Scanlon will get away.”

  “Trust me. If Jackson is charged with holding Scanlon, you can be sure he's holding him.”

  Her teammates were top-notch operators. Griff got that and knew Scanlon would be waiting there. But Scanlon held the top spot on Griff’s list of suspects who were trying to kill Sam, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on the creep.

  “Seriously, Griff.” Sam faced him across the cracked seat. “You can trust Jackson.”

  “I know I can,” he said. “But I’m eager to look this jerk in the face and give him a piece of my mind.” Maybe my fist, too.

  “I’d feel more comfortable if you let up on the gas.”

  He took a quick look at her, and seeing her pinched expression, his foot lifted from the pedal. “I’m sorry. I thought as a former police officer, a ride like this wouldn’t bother you.”

  “It wouldn’t if it was necessary, but it’s not, so why risk our lives this way? Or the other people on the road?”

  “You’re right. I’ll take it easy.” He raised his foot higher and smiled at her.

  “Don’t overreact and drive like my grandpa.” She chuckled.

  He laughed along, loving the sound of her laughter. Cutting back on his speed just for that was worth it. His frantic drive to get cross town reinforced what he already knew. He was totally and completely in love with her. And, man, how he wanted her in his life.

  But she’d just told him that she wasn’t okay with her dad’s behavior and until she accepted that, she wouldn’t enter any relationship.

  Please help her to forgive her father. To see he made his own decisions and he isn’t the example of how all men behave. Help her to trust again.

  Griff opened his mouth to ask her about it, but at her pensive gaze he snapped it closed. Nothing changed overnight as far as he knew, and he didn’t want to nag her. He would wait until the investigation was over, and then approach her to talk about a possible future together.

  He concentrated on the drive, following the female GPS voice’s instructions, and they arrived at the strip mall with a storefront lawyer office in a rundown area of town. Griff didn’t immediately see Jackson, and his heart dropped.

  “The black SUV,” Sam pointed at the vehicle parked on the side of the building.

  Griff studied the SUV but still couldn’t see Jackson. “How do you know it’s him?”

  “First, we always rent black SUVs when out of town. And second, look at the other cars in the lot. None of them are likely options.”

  Griff had to admit he hadn’t noticed the lot was filled with only older-model cars. Was he so eager to lay eyes on this guy that he’d lost focus again? If he’d operated this way as a SEAL, he wouldn’t be alive to tell about it.

  He swung the truck around the corner and parked by the SUV. Jackson got out, his hand on his weapon holstered at his side, and opened the door for Scanlon.

  The man slid down like a snake and fired a defiant look at Jackson who wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Scanlon was about Jackson’s height, his hair about the same dark color as Jackson’s, too. The similarities ended there. Scanlon’s hair was cut short, but a long lock of hair hung over his forehead, and he sported a thick mustache. Couple that with a black leather jacket and knit shirt, and the creep had kind of a seventies’ look. But an icy cold glare made him seem dangerous.

  Sam marched right up to him, pulled her shoulders back and took a wide stance. “Scanlon.”

  He scowled, and Griff moved closer, ready to act if the jerk took even a fraction of a step toward Sam.

  “So that’s what this is about. You.” He rolled his eyes. “What’s the matter, Willis? Can’t do your own dirty work anymore and need Neanderthal guys to help?”

  Griff had to shove his hands in his pockets to keep from decking the guy.

  Sam didn’t seem bothered at all but looked around the lot. “I see your ugly blue car, but where’s your lieutenant?”

  Scanlon fisted his hands.

  “Oh, wait, that’s right,” she said. “Everyone bailed on you while you were away, didn’t they?”

  Please don’t egg him on.

  “Lieutenant?” He mocked surprise. “I’m not the criminal you made me out to be.”

  “Oh right. You’re as innocent as a newborn baby. That’s why you spent five years in prison for murder.”

  “Obviously, I was wrongfully convicted by your lying testimony.”

  “Which is why you’re trying to pay her back,” Griff jumped in as he was tired of the guy’s lies.

  Scanlon
pinched the bridge of his overly large nose. “And who are you again?”

  “I’m the guy who’s gonna take you out if I ever find you within a mile of Sam.” Griff glared fiercely, and Scanlon actually shrank back a bit.

  Sam’s phone dinged, and she got it out, a victorious smile sliding across her lips. “You can keep arguing with us, Scanlon, but your DNA profile just arrived in my inbox, and it won’t take me long to match it to our evidence.”

  “Go ahead,” he said, sounding sincere. “I never gave you a second thought, much less considered killing you. Trust me, baby. You might’ve done me wrong, but you’re not worth going to prison over. I’m out now, and I’m staying out.”

  She stepped back. “You’re free to go…for now.”

  He headed for the large aqua car and slipped inside. He fired it up and the rumble of the muffler shook the air. Griff couldn’t believe they were letting him go just like that.

  “I’ve got him.” Jackson turned to his SUV. “Will text you the address of where he lands for the night.”

  “Hey thanks, man,” Griff said. “Feel free to knock some sense in to him if you need to.”

  Jackson fired a quick grin back at them, and Griff felt good about Jackson tailing Scanlon. As Sam had said—if Jackson had this guy in his sights, the creep would be contained, and he wouldn’t be bothering Sam again.

  Griff lost patience with Nobles an hour ago. The guy hadn’t moved from his business in the three hours Griff and Sam had been watching him. They’d grabbed some lunch and delivered her evidence to Blake, who not surprisingly, didn’t share any information in return. Sam also emailed Scanlon’s DNA to Emory for comparison purposes. She’d already told them it didn’t match the sample from Andy’s mouth, but then they didn’t expect it would. They were still waiting on the other DNA items, but Emory and her assistant were pulled into a missing child case, and that took priority.

  “I don’t think Nobles is ever going to show his face,” Sam muttered.

  “Tell me about it.” It’d been one thing sitting on Nobles with Griff’s bigger truck cab, but Sam’s smaller Jeep? He was going stir crazy, and his mind kept drifting to Sam. He wanted to convince her to give him a chance at a future relationship but he was doing his best to fight it. Not easy to do. Not easy at all.

  He’d thought he was such a strong guy. He’d faced down all kinds of danger. Could face anything that came up. Any enemy. Any foe. But he was no match for the sweet face and smile of Samantha Willis. And her very generous heart and usual good nature.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you said about your dad,” he said, hating himself for bringing up the subject the minute the words came out.

  “And?” Her wary tone cut straight through him.

  But did he quit? No. He was driven to continue like a starving man who found food for the first time in ages. “You’re so busy being afraid of what could go wrong in a relationship. Why not try thinking about what could go right?”

  She peered at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Don’t you think I’ve tried that?”

  “Have you? Have you honestly? Or are you really embracing the fear instead of fighting it?” He waited for her to blast him, but she didn’t move for the longest time.

  “I don’t know,” she finally said.

  “Maybe it would help to think about what you would do if you weren’t afraid,” he suggested. “What you could have right now that you’re giving up.”

  She met his gaze and held it. “Honestly, that’s about all I have been thinking about…when I’m not focused on Andy. But nothing has changed.”

  “Then I’ll continue to pray for you to find a way to accept things as they come.” Guilt washed over him. He felt like such a fraud. He wasn’t accepting things as they came. Far from it. He wanted to hurt Scanlon. Wanted to push Sam into moving past her father’s adultery. Wanted to push her into trusting him. Wanted to push God into doing things his way.

  “I guess you haven’t been reading me very well because I need to work on it, too,” he admitted. “And you haven’t called me on it.”

  He hoped to get a smile, but she frowned instead. “Been too wrapped up in my own thing. Sorry.”

  “You do want to change, right? I mean, you’re not happy with the way things are?”

  “Yes. I want to change.” She lowered her voice. “I want you in my life, Griff. I just don’t know how to make that happen yet, so be patient with me, okay?”

  “I’ll do my best.” When he was a SEAL, he possessed patience in abundance in his downtime. But give him “go” status and his patience fled the instant his adrenaline kicked in. Not that he rushed ahead when it wasn’t prudent to do so. Like now. Operation Trust for Sam wasn’t a “go” yet, and if he didn’t remember that, he might push her into something she wasn’t ready for.

  He lifted his binoculars to watch the building, forcing his mind to go blank and just stare. But Scanlon’s sneering face kept popping up in Griff’s mind. If he were ever to admit the truth, he would have to say he’d never liked Sam being a police officer. Putting her life in danger every day. Another hypocritical thing for him as he was serving as a SEAL when they were together and he couldn’t very well ask her to change jobs without making a change himself.

  At least back then she was working in Rugged Point where the danger was far less than the city of Portland. When he’d heard she’d transferred, he couldn’t help but think it had something to do with their breakup, but now he knew the real reason. Her dad.

  Nobles stepped out the door, took a look around, and climbed in his car.

  “Finally,” Sam said sounding as relieved as Griff felt.

  He got Sam’s Jeep going and into gear.

  Nobles traveled the speed limit into town and turned right onto the main road. Griff left a good distance between them. Nobles made several turns and finally merged on to the coastal highway.

  “He’s not going home.” Sam leaned forward. “This could be it. He could be meeting his contact.”

  Griff appreciated her excitement. He was pleased, too, but he couldn’t help but think of the accident last night. If her assailant found them again, her Jeep’s soft top wouldn’t provide the same level of protection as his truck if they were run off the road. Meant Griff had to bring his A game here. Keep an eye on Nobles as well as on their surroundings.

  Hanging back so Nobles couldn’t spot them, Griff alternated his gaze between the road and his mirrors. Adrenaline pounded through his body, and he tapped his thumb on the wheel to release the pressure. Sam sat forward her gaze fixed ahead, tracking Nobles, Griff assumed.

  They drove for twenty miles on the coastal highway slick with rain. The crash of waves pummeling the rocky shoreline served as a reminder of the accident. Nobles slowed and turned off on a county road.

  Griff reduced his speed even more to give Nobles additional space. Griff was barely able to see Nobles’ pricey Mercedes cruising down the two-lane road, but Griff wouldn’t give into his desire to press on the gas pedal and blow this opportunity to find the arsonist.

  “What are you doing? Don’t slow down and lose him.” Sam’s tone rose, and she raised her shocked gaze to him.

  His adrenaline didn’t abate, but he worked hard to keep his tone level and not increase her angst more. “I need to leave more space between us on this deserted road or he’s going to make us.”

  “But he could turn off.”

  “No worries,” he said as calmly as he could manage. “When you were talking with Trey at shift change, I put a GPS tracker on Nobles’ car.”

  “You did what?” She gaped at him. “He could’ve seen you.”

  Her unease was getting to Griff, so he took a calming breath. “I thought it was worth the risk.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “So that’s it, huh? What you picked up at your place?”

  He nodded.

  She crossed her arms. “You could’ve just asked. We have them, you know?”

  “And if I shared my p
lans, would you have agreed to it?”

  “I would’ve tried to talk you out of it.” She let out a long breath. “But when you want something badly enough, you find a way to make it happen. So you would’ve found a way with or without my approval.”

  Ha! If she only knew how badly he wanted her in his life and had no idea how to make that happen.

  She uncrossed her arms and laid her palms flat on her knees. “What device are you tracking his movements on?”

  “My phone.”

  “Now that your secret is out, do you want me to keep tabs on him?”

  “Sure.” He unlocked his phone and handed it to her.

  She tapped the screen and found the tracking app open. “He’s about a half mile ahead of us and is turning left. It doesn’t appear as a road on the map. Most likely it’s a driveway.”

  Griff continued at his speed but pulled off to the side of the road well out of view of the driveway. He grabbed his binoculars. “Stay here.”

  Outside in the salty ocean air, he climbed on the Jeep’s front bumper to scan the driveway. Tall arborvitae trees ran the length of the drive, each tree only inches from the other, serving as a thick screen and blocking his view of the property.

  He hopped down and opened Sam’s door. “Can’t see a thing.”

  “I texted Eryn. She’s checking the property records.”

  “I’m starting to see the advantage of having a person on the team who can quickly access information.” He looked down the road again. “But no matter who owns this place, we’re going in, and we’ll have to hoof it from here. I’ll grab some supplies.”

  He went around back, and Sam met him at the hatch. He handed her the smaller of two Kevlar vests she’d brought along, and he strapped on the larger one. The sound of Velcro ripped through the air. Griff knew Nobles couldn’t hear it, but he still didn’t like making any noise.

  She fastened a strap. “You really think this is going to be necessary?”

  “If Nobles is meeting with an arsonist, yeah, I do. Especially if it’s our guy who shot at you yesterday.” He grabbed the backpack he’d retrieved from his place.